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Prepare for Soaring Seagulls

5.10d, Trad, 90 ft (27 m),  Avg: 2.9 from 129 votes
FA: Stan Caldwell, Dan Sperlock 1987
Idaho > S Idaho > City of Rocks > Elephant Rock > Elephant Rock - North
Warning Access Issue: (1) Weather Wall, Yellow Wall, & all the crags north of Twin Sisters are CLOSED. (2) There are no longer trash cans in the park. (3) Highlining ban in place for CIRO and CRSP DetailsDrop down

Description

This route is located on the North side of Elephant rock. It ascends the left line of bolts on the large flake. There are three bolts on the lower wall and 2 bolts at the beginning of the upper section. The lower wall has a 5.10 b/c crux at the 2 bolt. The 5.10d crux is a crimpy affair at the second bolt on the upper headwall. Good nut placements and cams in horizontals protect the final section (5.10b). There is a technical crux right before you pull onto the belay ledge.

Fun stuff...

Protection

Draws, nuts, and a few medium sized cams

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Horizontal gear placements on the upper headwall of Prepare for Soaring Seagulls.
[Hide Photo] Horizontal gear placements on the upper headwall of Prepare for Soaring Seagulls.
The bolt on the upper section has a locker link (not a locker carabiner). I believe this is there as most people bail off the route. I think the crux is stretching for the thin lip of the next hueco up and to the right.
[Hide Photo] The bolt on the upper section has a locker link (not a locker carabiner). I believe this is there as most people bail off the route. I think the crux is stretching for the thin lip of the next hue…
Alex on the upper head wall
[Hide Photo] Alex on the upper head wall
Trying to figure out the final sequence...
[Hide Photo] Trying to figure out the final sequence...

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Andy Laakmann
Bend, OR
  5.10d
[Hide Comment] An OK route. You end up with some rope drag which is... a drag, but still fun. I ended up moving left at the final horizontal, as did another leader I watched. I suppose it could go straight up at the end, but the best protection is towards the left side of the horizontal (#1 Camalot), so it just seemed more natural to move left at the end. No doubt it would be harder going straight. The midway crux felt fair at 10d, and the bottom section definitely involved some surprisingly challenging slab climbing. It is probably a good idea to be comfortable at the grade, as a fall at the wrong moment might drop you on the big ledge...

Gear: Medium nut, Aliens, #1 Camalot. Jul 30, 2006
Frosty Weller
Colorado
 
[Hide Comment] Not sure why this doesn't deserve 3 stars. I thought it was quality rock, cool features, appropriate bolt placements, and had good movement. Jul 2, 2008
Ben Folsom
 
[Hide Comment] I agree with the previous comment. Nice route, good rock and well protected. Nice colors on the rock too. Jul 10, 2008
Steve Jay
salt lake city, UT
 
[Hide Comment] the straight up top out is awesome yet probably harder than 10d. Jun 20, 2010
steven sadler
SLC, UT
[Hide Comment] An excellent route. Going right at the second horizontal crack and dynoing to the top for the final move makes this climb way better. place a couple pieces and just jump for it. Jul 17, 2011
Nate Liles
American Safe Climbing Asso…
[Hide Comment] Replaced original hardware in 2017 with 1/2" SS in cooperation with the NPS, Climbing Resource Advisory Group (CRAG) and the ASCA. Tools provided by The Access Fund, all hardware courtesy of the ASCA. Consider a donation @ safeclimbing.org Oct 23, 2017
Matthew Colemere
Alpine, UT
 
[Hide Comment] Super fun route. Thoughtful slab, to a tough initial sequence on the upper wall section. Nice shake out before the final moves to the top. The straight up top out is awesome, with a fun move to the chains. Get on this route, as it protects well when there aren't bolts, and the bolts are plenty for the non-protectable sections.
Gear Beta: Medium Offset Nut, .5 X4, 1 Camalot, 5 draws. May 9, 2018
Past User
  5.11a
[Hide Comment] I've been climbing this route for a long time, and I have always enjoyed it. I think holds have broken on the lower slab getting up into the steeper bulge that have made it harder there. I also think the boulder problem at the second bolt feels strangely hard now-perhaps some breakage there as well...? It is still a great route and I feel the 10d rating (equivalent of V0!) is pretty stiff for that bouldery section now. 11a seems reasonable, and even at that its a hard one! Almost 3 stars- docked for the middle section transition to the upper headwall. May 9, 2018
abe r
Boise, ID
[Hide Comment] ^^^ I think a hold broke too cause man, that 2nd bolt on the colored headwall was hard!

The final topout move is really cool also, high foot mantle-ly move. May 11, 2018
Andrew Gerald Thaller
  5.11a
[Hide Comment] Probably my favorite City route! Overhanging mixed climbing. Crux at the bolt felt justified at 11a but whatever that's me and I don't climb that hard I guess. Jun 24, 2018
Nate Liles
American Safe Climbing Asso…
[Hide Comment] Added mussy hook anchor in 2019. In cooperation with the NPS, Climbing Resource Advisory Group (CRAG) and the ASCA. Support from Maxim Ropes and the Access Fund, all hardware courtesy of the ASCA. Consider a donation @ safeclimbing.org Sep 10, 2019
RK Ravel
Portland, OR
 
[Hide Comment] I thought the crux was between the 2nd and 3rd bolt on the lower slab. I wound up throwing a dyno but my friends at 5'10" were able to reach high enough to grab a lip. The upper section above the slab was technical but fun! A 70m rope was sufficient to top rope this. Oct 15, 2020
Dwayne La Roca
[Hide Comment] The crux at the second bolt on the head wall is now more difficult than any moves found on Beware of Nesting Egos to the left- despite BONE holding at two letter grades more in difficulty . Also it has a potentially dangerous fall at this crux. May 16, 2023
Santiago Monleon
Salt Lake City
 
[Hide Comment] I don't usually leave a comment about a route being sandbagged, but I feel you should know that the crux is much harder than the grade, or anything on egos. The route has great 5.10d climbing with a two move ~11d crux. I believe some critical holds on this have broken in the past years, or maybe we were just missing something. You can french free past the section easily, but note that this thing is not a gimme 10d; still amazing climbing nonetheless. Jun 22, 2024